It has always been at the heart of what Smile International has done, to care for and look after widows in their time of need. We truly believe that God holds widows close to His heart and this is what drives us to help support and care for them and turn their tears into smiles. We feel so passionate about being their support that we have set up a Sponsor a Widow programme, where people can regularly sponsor a widow for just 66p a day, £20 a month and become their friend from afar. The widows we help are in desperate situations, they are destitute, alone and need our help. In cultures where women are not encouraged to be independent, the death of their husband is not just life shattering but can be incapacitating. They become vulnerable, exposed and marginalised.

The difference made by receiving food supplies, having fellowship with other widows and with our team, is evident. For the widows to receive this much-needed food supply every month has a huge impact on their lives. They know that someone cares for them, cares about their challenging situation and cares enough to help them through it. This speaks volumes to these ladies and is a huge encouragement to each and every one of them on the programme. When they receive their food supplies you can see their whole countenance change, their faces light up, they stand taller, they are filled with joy and their smiles are so precious. To think that what we’re doing is a fairly easy solution to a problem, yet has this much of an impact, stirs us up to want to raise more help and see more widows embrace this happiness.

To witness a widow, break down in front of you, full of gratitude for supplying food in her darkest times, makes you realise the significance of supporting the world’s most vulnerable.  To let a widow, know that we are there for them, that they are in our thoughts, that we care for and love them, has far reaching effects that we may never fully understand, but to that one lady, it could mean the world.

If you would like to support or widow regularly, for just 66p a day, £20 a month, then please follow the link below.

https://www.smileinternational.org/forms/sponsor-a-widow

If you would like to send a widow an encouragement gift, via our Smile Hampers, follow this link.

https://www.smileinternational.org/smile-hampers

Thank you.